community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Ventana, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 31% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it ranks highest in spring (38th percentile) and lowest in summer (24th). Expect a dearth from late May to late Sep.
When is the honey flow in Ventana?
- First forage: Jan 16 (native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs)
- Dearth: May 16 to Sep 30
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ventana, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Feb 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); dark amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Ventana
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.42 mi SW.
How Ventana ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 4th | 21st | 2nd | 28th |
| Arizona | 31st | 38th | 24th | 32nd |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 64th | 64th | 65th | 51st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 98% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Ventana: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kaka 5 mi · Anegam 14 mi · Santa Rosa 15 mi · Kohatk 16 mi · Ak Chin 19 mi · Wahak Hotrontk 21 mi
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Ventana (32.468, -112.2434); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.